Expanse Consulting – Economic Policy & Environmental Consulting

Economic Policy And Environmental Consulting

We offer practical and out of the box solutions to the complex and challenging problems facing our environment. We do this through a consultative and empowerment approach

About

Evidence-based research provides the basis for sound recommendations

Established in 2005, Expanse Consulting is an independent economic policy and environmental consulting firm with a proven track record of delivering results with high value for its clients.

What We Do

Strategic Planning & Organisational Strengthening

Conservation finance
Business planning for protected areas
Trans-boundary natural resources management
Trade & sustainable development in ASEAN

Economic Valuation

Natural capital valuation
Economic instruments in environmental management

Project Planning & Evaluation

Results-based project management
Mid-term evaluation
End-term evaluation

Our Recent Projects

Formulation of Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand-Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Implementation Blueprint 2022-2026

Final Evaluation for the Sabah-European Union (EU) Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) Demonstration Project on Tackling Climate Change through Sustainable Forest Management and Community Development

Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) Blueprint 2021-2030

Preparation of the Sabah Heart of Borneo Strategic Plan of Action 2021-2030

Green Climate Fund Readiness Proposal for the development of Malaysia’s National Adaptation Plan

Third Sabah Environmental Education Policy Monitoring

Assessment of Potential Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) Options and Implementation Mechanisms: For Retaining Natural Forest in the International Climate Initiative (IKI) Project Landscape, Sarawak

GEF-Small Grants Programme, 7th Operational Phase, Malaysia

Comprehensive Institutional Review of the ASEAN Biodiversity Centre

Terminal Evaluation of Access & Benefit-Sharing (ABS) Framework in Malaysia

Terminal Evaluation Biodiversity Conservation in a Multiple Use Forest Landscapes in Sabah

Implementation of Payments for Ecosystem Services in Sabah (Case of Babagon Water Catchment)

Sabah Wildlife Policy

Strategic Plan & Resource Mobilization Strategy for Malaysia’s National Conservation Trust Fund

Facilitating Regional Cooperation and Integration between Indonesia and Timor-Leste Through Enhanced Cross -Border Cooperation

Feasibility Study on Project on Forest Community Conserved Areas – Livelihood Options and Co-management of Natural Resources in the Heart of Borneo

Business Plan for Tun Mustapha Park

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) of Terrestrial Protected Areas in Peninsular Malaysia

Natural Capital Valuation in Baleh, Sarawak Heart of Borneo Project

The WWF Spatial Planning Experiences in Borneo

Review of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines – East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Land Transport MoUs

Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand-Growth Area (IMT-GT) Vision 2036

Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand–Growth Area (IMT-GT) Implementation Blueprint 2017-2021

BIMP-EAGA Project Manual

Terminal Evaluation for Project on Conserving Marine Biodiversity through Enhanced Marine Park Management and Inclusive Sustainable Island Development

Mid-term Evaluation of the UNIDO-GEF Project on Industrial Energy Efficiency for Malaysian Manufacturing Sector

Clients We've Worked With

Our Team

YEO Bee Hong

Co-Founder and Director

Bee Hong is an environmental economist with a multi-disciplinary background in economics, environmental management and statistics. She has over 20 years of work experience in sustainable finance, economic valuation of natural capital, protected areas management, and project monitoring and evaluation.

Previously, she held senior positions in WorldFish, an international research organization that harnesses fisheries and aquaculture to reduce hunger and poverty and in World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Malaysia, a conservation NGO.

Amongst her clients include United Nations Development Programme Malaysia (UNDP), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), WWF-Malaysia, Sabah Forestry Department and Environmental Protection Department, Sabah.

Bee Hong has been a founding member of the Malaysian Expert Assessment Group for the IUCN Green List (EAGL) Programme since 2017 and served as Chair from 2020-2021. She is also a member of the IUCN World Commission of Protected Areas.

Academic qualifications: M.Sc. in Environmental Resource Economics from University College London, United Kingdom; MA in Statistics from University Malaya and B.Sc. (Hons.) in Environmental Economics and Environmental Management from the University of York, United Kingdom.

Bernard TAI

Co-Founder and Director

Bernard has over 25 years of professional experience as an economist, with considerable experience in integrating green economy initiatives into development planning, business planning, and institutional strengthening. His areas of expertise include strategic planning, business planning, conservation finance, transboundary natural resources management and results-based project management.

Bernard has also worked extensively in the areas of regional economic cooperation and integration and transport connectivity in ASEAN, BIMP-EAGA and IMT-GT. He has been engaged as an international consultant by Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), GIZ and Centre for IMT-GT (CIMT). His work experience spans extensively throughout Southeast Asia.

For over three years, Bernard led the implementation of WWF’s conservation programmes in Sabah, Malaysia, focusing on protected area management, spatial planning for conservation, species conservation, reforestation, sustainable agriculture and freshwater conservation. Apart from this, Bernard has also held senior positions in the ASEAN Secretariat and national think tanks in Malaysia.

Academic qualifications: M. Economics, National University of Malaysia; and BA (Hons) Economics, University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom.

Email: bernardtaikm@gmail.com